The Notion of Humankind According to the Music-pedagogical Conception of Former Socialist States, Exemplified in the Former German Democratic Republic

peer reviewedMusic education in the former GDR is to be understood in the framework of the development of a socialist notion of humankind. The present essay • offers, accordingly, less of a glimpse into the didactic models and educational approaches that are distinct from those in West Germany • deals instead with music education as a means for developing an “ideal” socialistic human being. Education in art, athletics or other subjects could replace music • refers to the disciplinary literature of the GDR in the years 1955-1972 • for that reason sticks primarily to the present, refers, however, repeatedly to that time period • and instead of the conceptual combination “former GDR” uses simply “GDR